Africa-Press – Uganda. President Museveni has said the people of Amudat district in Karamoja have every reason to vote NRM in the forthcoming 2026 general election.
Museveni who was campaigning at Kalas Girls Primary School grounds in Amudat, Museveni said when the NRM came to power, it ignored naysayers to grant a county to Upe in Amudat district, despite having a small population.
“If you want to know miracles are possible in Africa you come to Karamoja and Amudat. I thank God for making me, somehow connected to that miracle. I want to inform Ugandans that we used to have a lot of bad planning for elections. Before the coming into power of NRM, there were no permanent constituencies. Constituencies never coincided with administrative boundaries,” Museveni said.
He cited an example of the contested 1980 elections where he said government set up adhoc constituencies for its own benefit.
“They would just get a sub county from this county, take it there and manoeuvring in what is called gerrymandering. If they knew UPC was not strong here, they would bring one sub county where UPC was strong to supress those where the party had less support.”
He said that in 1989, when government wanted to expand the National Resistance Council, they insisted that a constituency must be equal to a county, noting that at that time Uganda had 149 counties.
“Something called Upe was one of the counties that Uganda had but had a population of only 20,000 people. Some of counties in the south like Bukoto had over 360,000 people. I however insisted that let us start with counties and it is how Upe became constituency but by 1980 it wasn’t independent.”
Museveni was referring to the creation of Upe County, currently in Amudat district.
He explained that later, his government granted Amudat a separate district, carve out of Nakapiripirit in 2010.
“The population was still small but I said these people are Pokot and their language is different from Karamojong. Let them have their small district and talk their Pokot there. That’s how I also made Abim a district because they are Luo and don’t speak Karamojong.”
Museveni told the gathering in Amudat that when he sees that the population in the district has grown to now over 203,000, he knows miracles happen.
He said allowing Amudat get its own district despite having a small population is something not many, apart NRM could accept to happen.
“If anybody asks you why you support NRM, answer him or her that in manifesto of NRM for 2026 to 2031, there are seven contributions NRM has made to Uganda in last 40 years starting with peace.”
He said by disarming Karamojong warriors, he ensured peace prevails in the sub-region.
According to Museveni, electricity, health facilities and roads have been extended to Amudat, an area which was previously neglected.
“Now tarmac is in Nakapiripirit and we are going to extend it to this place,” he said.
Museveni also promised to upgrade health centres in the district and extend electricity to all sub counties.
Wealth creation
He however took a swipe at people who only talk about development but forget wealth.
“It makes no sense making about development every time but not wealth creation. Development is for everyone but wealth is for you as an individual, family or company. This is the message we have been giving you for many years,” Museveni said.
“For you are cattle keepers and I am a cattle keeper myself. My parents were nomadic like you people but I remember walking kraal to kraal telling them you are committing suicide. Those who listened to my message are now wealthy,” he said.
Government has so far sent shs13.4 billion to Amudat for Parish Development Model and of the 42,310 households in the district, 12,118(28.6%) have benefitted from this cash.
For Emyooga, government has sent disbursed shs820million which has benefited 3,397 members in 18 saccos.
Museveni told the gathering that government will continue sending more money for wealth creation programs like PDM and Emyooga and asked locals to utilise them to get out of poverty.
The First Lady, Janet Museveni hailed Amudat for always voting President Museveni and NRM candidates overwhelmingly, asking them not to relent.
“NRM is your government. It has worked so hard to make sure Karamoja is peaceful, just like any other part of the country. Make sure it is your responsibility to vote to protect our gains and take qualitative leap for whole of Uganda including Karamoja so that all those programs important to Uganda and haven’t happened happen in the next term,” Mrs Museveni said.
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